Boat-hoisting apparatus



June 30, 1964 s. A. BORGER 3,139,203

BOAT-HOISTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 FIG.4

INVENTOR SPENCE A. BORGER June 30, 1964 s. A. BORGER 3,

BOAT-HOISTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. SPENCE A. BORGER June 30, 1964 s. A. BORGER BOAT-I-IOISTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 1, 1962 INVENTOR. SPENCE A. BORGER United States Patent 3,139,203 BflAT-HQISTING APPARATUfi v Spence A. Berger, 13111 Doty Ava, Hawthorne, Calif.

Filed flct. 1, 1962, er. No. 227,257

13 craters. Cl. 214-456) rack means carried by the motor vehicle top, although not w specifically so limited). o

The present invention is directed to the complete boathoisting apparatus and alsoto a subcombination of the complete inventive combination; said subcombination comprising auxiliary wheel means and means for mounting same with respect to the upper forward portion of a boat in a position such as to rollably engage an underlying ground surface when the boat is inverted, thereby facilitating the operation of the complete boat-hoisting apparatus by allowing the inverted forward end of the boat to slidably roll along the ground surface during the preliminary phases of a boat-hoisting operation until the entire inverted boat is ready to be hoisted upwardly into a substan tially horizontal inverted position lying at alevel slightly above the level'of the motor vehicle but extending therebehind, after which it is pivoted around while still remaining in the horizontal plane until itoverlies the motor vehicle top (and the usual boat-carrying or boat-supporting rack carried thereby), after which it is lowered into mounted relationship over the motor vehicle top so that "See ited). The load-carrying supporting structure means is effectively provided with winch or Windlass meansand winch cable means adapted to extend along theboom means and over the pulley means for connection of a remote end of the winch cable means with respect to an inverted boat which is to be hoisted (usually by suitable boat-engageable means). The load-carrying supporting structure means is provided with boat-edge-engageable fulcrum means adapted to receive, an inverted edge (usually an inverted back edge or transom, although not specifically so limited) of a boat which is to be hoisted, said fulcrum means being pivotally mounted for rotation around a substantially vertical axis whereby to allow the. winch means f to be operated to lift the forward end of the boat until it lies at substantially the same horizontal level as the rear edge or transom of the boat resting upon the fulcrum means, after which said .fulcrum means can be rotated about said vertical axis whereby to rotate-the hoisted inverted boat from its position extending behind the motor vehicle into a position substantially overlying the top of the motor vehicle for mounting engagement and attachment thereover (usually by way of a boat-carrying or boat-supporting rack carried by the top of theinotor'Vehicle, although not specifically so limited) 7 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel boat-hoisting apparatus wherein the fulcrum means mentioned in the preceding objectis provided with controllably operable fastening clamp means-adapted to be it can be transported to any desired location, where: it can be removed from the motor vehicle top and placed'upon the ground surface behind the vehicle by the reverse operation of the boat-hoisting apparatus.

It should be clearly" noted that prior art boat-hoisting apparatuses have been developed heretofore. However, all of'such prior art boat-hoisting apparatuses and/ or systems known to me require. the application of considerable strength during at least one phase of the boat-hoisting operation, thus preventing the apparatus from being effectively operated by handicapped persons, elderly persons,

children, or women. This has the effect of severely limitingthe usefulness of such prior art boat-hoisting apparatuses. r

However, the novel boat-hoisting apparatus-of the pres- V cm invention completely meets andovercomes the above-'3 mentioned'prior art disadvantages in that it does not require the application of any great degree of force during any portion of a complete boat hoisting operation or the I reverse. This makes it possible for any person'including, elderly persons, handicapped persons, children, and women to operate the apparatus without difliculty.

. With the above pointsin' mind, it is an object of the rotative position-between the two extremes of Winch 7 It is a further object of the present invention to provide boat hoisting' apparatusof the character referred to in the preceding object including a controllably operable fasten ing, locking, or retaining means for effectively locking the I fulcrum means in the rotated position referred ,to above whereinthe inverted hoisted and horizontally pivotally moved boat overlies the motor vehicletop.

It is afurther object to provide, apparatus of the character referred to above wherein said winch or windlass means is provided with effective locking means for locking it against rotation when it is positioned in any desired cable complete extension; and winch'cable complete retraction.

It is afurther object of the present invention to provide boat-hoisting apparatus of the type referred toabove present invention to provide novel boathoisting apparatus 7 adjacent to the rear of the motor vehicle, although not specifically so limited) and with the load-carrying supporting structure means being adapted to be positioned in a substantially upright location adjacent to saidportion of the motor vehicle. "The load-carrying supporting structure means is provided with upwardly extending boom means carrying pulley wheel means (said boom means, in one v of the type referred to hereinbefore which includes load 7 carrying supporting structure means provided with fastening means for fastening it with respect to a motor vehicle at some convenient location with respect thereto (usually the first and second portions may-be revers'ed' with respect whereby to provide forquick and assembly thereof.

' wherein the upper endof the load-carrying supporting structure means and the lower end of the upwardly extending boom means are effectively interconnected-by controllably engageable and disengageable coupling means easy assembly and dis- It is a further object: of-tliepresentinvention to provide boat-hoisting apparatus of the character defined .in the preceding object wherein-said -controllably engageable and disengageable coupling means includes a first portion comprising a laterally spacedvpair of receiving socket means efiectively rotatively; carried by the upper end of the load-cai ryirigsupporting structure means and also includes a second portion comprisihga-{correspond ing bifurcated; yolte'means removably engageable within said receiving socket means and'carried at the bottom of said upwardly extending boom means. "1However, it should be clearly noted that the relative positioning of boomimeans incertaingforms of the invention, It is a furtheiflobject of the present"inventiontopro tothe load-carrying supporting-structure means and the vide boat hoisting apparatus of thetypereferred to above wherein the fulcrum means mentioned above comprises aiaaass 9 a substantially L-shaped member including a base memher and an upstanding portion effectively interconnected to define a boat-edge-receiving means or effective recess means therebetween. V

i It is a further object of the present invention to provide novel-boat-hoisting apparatus of the character referred to above including, in combination therewith, auxiliary wheel means and means for removably mounting same with respect to the upper forward portion of a boat whereby totplace the inverted forward portion of the boat in rollable cooperation with a ground surface during the initial phase of a boat-hoisting operation or during the final phases of a reverse operation.

It is a further object to provide, 'per se, novel auxiliary wheel means and the means for" mounting same with respect to the upper forward portion of a, boat, as referred to in the preceding object, as a subcombination of the complete inventive combination defined hereinbefore.

It is a further object of the invention to provide novel boat-hoisting apparatus of any of the generic and/or specific aspects referred to above and which is of relatively simple, foolproof, easy-to-install, easy-temperate, and easy-to-maintain construction such as to be conducive to widespread use thereof by virtually any person desiring to hoist a boat. 1

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which follows hereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of the invention but not specifically limiting it), and said objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of the detailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, several exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the hereinbelow described figures of the accompanying drawings and are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a reduced-size perspective view of one embodiment of the invention shown in mounted operative relationship with respect to the rear end of a motor vehicle of the type conventionally known as a station wagon. However, while the apparatus is in mounted operative relationship in this view the boat-engageable means at the forward end of the winch cable, comprising the pair of short cable portions and hooks, are shown prior to engagement with an inverted boat for boathoisting cooperation therewith.

FIG. 2 isan enlarged fragmentary view taken in the direction of the arrows 22 of FIG. 1 and illustrates the connection with respect to the automobile frame of one ofv the two laterally spaced fastening means which receives and effectively fastens bottom portions of the upstanding load-carrying support structure means of the invention, when in the mounted operative relationship shown in FIG. 1. Of course, it should be understood that'a similar structure (although positionally reversed) is 'carried at the opposite rear side of the station wagon shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary View taken in the direction of the arrows 3- 3 of FIG. 2. -.-FIG. 4 is an exploded fragmentary View illustrating one of the two supporting strut means removably connectedbetween the rear end of the motor vehicle top and the top portion of the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means of the first form of the present invention for providing a structurally strong and stable mounting thereof with respect to the automobile. In this view the central portion of the supporting strut is shown broken away and the connection means at each end thereof is shown in exploded relationship.

. FIG. 5 isa side elevational view, partly broken away, of a rear portion of an automobile of a different body style from the station wag'on form shown in FIG. 1. This view' illustrates a slight modification of the supporting strut means wher'einthe two supporting strut means offthe first form of "the invention illustratedin FIGS; 1-4 are modified into a single centrally positioned supporting strut means adapted to be connected at its forward lower end with respect to a portion of the automobile at the bottom of the floor of the rear compartment of the automobile, which thus effectively couples it with respect to the automobile frame whereby to provide stability and rigidity to the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means when in the mounted'operative position shown fragmentarily in. FIG. ,5. Of course, it should be noted that the upper boom means, the pulley wheel means at the top theerof, and the winch cable means are not shown in FIG. 5 for drawing spacev C011? servation reasons. However, they are similar to the showing of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken in the direction or" the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 5 and is generally similar to FIG. 2 in that it illustrates the connection with respect to the automobile frame of one of the two laterally spaced fastening means which receive and effectively fasten bottom portions of the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means of the invention when in the mounted operative relationship shown in FIG. 5. However, in this viewno spacer is required since the automobile frame is of the proper size for direct connection to the fastening portions carrying the bottom ofthe upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction of the arrows 7-7 of FIG. 6. V

FIG. 8 is an exploded, partly broken away, perspective view illustrating the connectionof the modified single supporting strut of the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5 between the bottom of the floor (and underlying automobile frame portion) of the automobile rear compartment and the center of the platform member carried at the top of the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means. In this view the central portion of the supporting strut is shown broken away and the connection means at each end thereof is shown in exploded relationship. I

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational View of the fulcrum means at the top of the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means of FIG. land illustrates it after it has been rotated degrees around a vertical axis from the position'shown in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 14 in solid lines into the forwardly directed broken line position shown in FIG. 14. This, of course, occurs after the inverted rear edge or transom of the boat has been received and the forward edge of the boat has been'lifted by the winch or Windlass means and the winch cable means from the lowermost angularly inclined position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 14 into the hoisted horizontal, rearwardly directed, positionshown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 14. This occurs just prior to the horizontal pivoting of the hoisted rearwardly directed boat from said rearwardly directed position into the forwardly directed position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 14'wherein it overlies the top of the automobile and is adapted to rest upon and engage and be retained by a boat-carrying rack.

FIG. l( l -is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly ,in

elevation and partly in section, taken in, the direction of the arrows itle lti of FIG.' 9v and further illustratesthe fulcrum meansadapted to receive the inverted rear edge or transom of the boat and to effectively rotate the entire hoisted boat from a rearwardly directed'horieontal position to a forwardly directed horizontal position as shown in'the sequence of broken line positions illustrated in FIGgl, W 4

FIG.,11 "is an exploded view of the engagement of the upper end. of one of the fastening *members, shown at the lower bottom corner of FIG. 1, with the lower end of the corresponding side member of the upstanding loadcarrying supportingstructure means. In this view," the lower end ofsaidside portion of said upstanding loadcarrying supporting structure means is shown fragmen-- tarily, as is the showing of the upper end of the corre sponding fastening member.

FIG. 11A illustrates a closure cap adapted to be fas tened to the upper end of the fastening member of FIG. 11 in place of the corresponding lower end of the corresponding side member of the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means, when the apparatus is dismounted. In other words, FIG. 11A shows a finishing cover cap adapted to provide a pleasing appearance to the otherwise unesthetic upper end of the fastening member. This is true for the fastening member connected to each side of the automobile rear frame portion.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the Winch or Windlass shown as being carried by the'upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means in FIG. 1 and illustrates the details thereof.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view illustrating the threeway coupling means connected between the forward or remote end of the winch cable and the pair of bifurcated cable portions carrying the pair of grappling, engaging or connecting hooks at the outer end thereof, which cornprise one specific form of boat-engageable means for effective and controllably di'sengageable coupling engagement with respect to a boat which is to be hoisted. In the first phase of the boat hoisting operation said coupling engagement with respect to the boat is at the rear thereof when the boat is in the ground-supported inverted position shown in solid or full lines in FIG. 14. This engagement continues until the rear end of the inverted boat is hoisted into the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 14 where the inverted rear edge or transom of the boat is rested upon the fulcrum means. T en the before-mentioned coupling engagement of the grappling hooks is moved to a forward location as is shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 14, for use in subsequently hoisting the inverted forward end of the boat into the rearwardly projecting horizontal relationship shown in FIG. 14 in dot-dash lines, after which it is rotated into the forwardly projecting horizontal position shown in do -dash lines in FIG. 14.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary reduced-size side elevational view illustrating the various steps in a boat-hoisting operation, and the reverse thereof, with the various positions of the boat and corresponding portions of the appa'ratus being distinguished from one another by the different types of full line and broken line showings and by the different physical locations thereof.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the several fastening clamp means which effectively and controllably removably fasten the boatcarrying rack to the top of the motor vehicle. 1

FIG. 16 is a greatly reduced-size fragmentary top plan view of the forward portion'of a boat and illustrates one typical form of the auxiliary wheel means adapted to be controllably removabl'y placed in rollably supported relationship with respect to the inverted forward end of the boat for facilitating aboat hoisting operation by allow ing free movement of the inverted forward end of the boat along an underlying ground surface as'the rear end'of the boat is hoisted or lowered by the winch and winch cable means. Such operation of the auxiliary Wheel means is clearly illustrated in FIG. 14. One side of the wheel means is shownin exploded relationship for clarity, while the other side is shown in fully assembled relationshin.

FIG.-17-is a larger-scale fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, taken in the direction of the arrows 17-47 of FIG. 16.

Generallyspealring, the boat-hoisting apparatus of the" which effectively converge at the top and are effectively connected rigidly to the bottom of an upper platform member 23 as indicated at 24. This connection may be by means of welding, or any other suitable rigid, strong structural connection between the top ends of the converging tubular side portions 22 and the flat horizontal platform member 23. I

The lower portions of the laterally spaced side structural member 22 extend downwardly to bottom end portions Where they are adapted to be effectively connected with respect to the upper ends of corresponding fastening means effectively connected with respect to the body of the automobile generally indicated at'25.

In said first form of the invention illustrated, there are two such fastening means, each of which is generally indicated by the reference numeral 26 and each of which comprises a curved, flat piece of metal having a bottom forwardly directed end 27 connected by connector means 3 and spacer means 29 With respect to the frame portion 31 of the body of the automobile 25. Each of said fastening means 26 has a top upwar iy directed end 32 adapted to be fastened to the corresponding hollow bottom end 33 of the corresponding sidestructural member 22 of the upstanding load-carrying structure means 21 whereby to firmly support same.

In said first form of the invention illustrated this fastening and connection is accomplished by placing the hollow hole or recess 34 within the bottom end 33 of the side structural member 32 over the corresponding upwardly projecting member 35 carried by the rear upper end 32 of the fastening means 26, after which the threaded fastener 36 is adapted to, be passed through the aligned holes 37 and 38 in said end 33 and'said member 35 and to be threadedly engaged with the nut 35 whereby to firmly fasten said elements together in a structurally strong and rigid manner. When this is accomplished at each of the bottom ends 33 of the tWo sidepositioued structural members 22 of the upstanding load-carrying structure means 21, itwiil be firrnly supported by the two fastening means 26 and the corresponding automobile frame portions 31 so as to lie in a substantiallyvertical upright plane or position immediately behind the rear end of the motor vehicle 25 as ,is clearly shown in FIG. 1. V

Whenever the entire device is to be removed from the mounted operative relationship shown in FIG. 1, the

threaded fasteners and nuts 3 6and 39 are disengaged and the hollow lower ends 33 of the two side structural members 22 are removed from the corresponding upwardly projecting members 35 and stored away at a convenient location (either within the vehicle or elsewhere) until such time as it is to again be remounted andplaced in the upstanding operative relationship shown in FIG. 1 for boat lifting and lowering use.

Whenever the entire apparatus is removed, as referred to above, and is stored away until subsequent remounting and use, two finishing cover caps, such as the one shown at 41, may be placed over the corresponding projections 35 and fastened thereto by the corresponding th'rg-zaded fasteners and nuts 36 and 39 by way of the aligned apertures 42 in said covers '41 and 38 in the corresponding projections 35. I

- The upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means ZLisadapted to be provided with boom means and pulley wheel means for carrying an intermediate portion of the winch cablef In said 'first form of the invention illustrated for exemplary-and nousp'ecificaliy limiting purposes, said boom means is indicated generally at 43 and is c'ont'roilably engageable and dis'engag'eable with respect to the upstandingload-carrying supporting structure means 21 positioned thereunder. In said speific exemplary form illustrated, this is accomplished by Way of controliably engageable and disengagable' coupling means, indicated generally at M (best shown in FIG. 10), effectively interconnecting the. upper end of the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21 and the lower end of the upwardly extending boom means 43 whereby to provide for quick and easy assembly and disassembly of said boom means 43 with respect to said upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21. This facilitates easy storage of the apparatus during non-use periods. However, the invention is not specifically limited to this particular arrangement in all forms of the invention.

In said specific exemplary first form of the invention referred to above, said controllably engageable and disengageable coupling means 44 includes a first portion comprising a spaced, bifurcated, pair of receiving socket means and 'a second portion comprising a corresponding bifurcated yoke means removably engageable within said receiving socket means. In the exemplary form of said coupling means 44 illustrated in said first form of the invention, said first portion is indicated generally at 45 and comprises two upwardly directed hollow tubular socket members 46 having top openings 47, with said members being fastened to an interconnecting member 48 and being effectively rotatively mounted with respect to the platform member 23 for rotation about a vertical centrally positioned axis. This rotary mounting will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Also, in the specific exemplary first form of said coupling means 44 as best shown in FIG. 10, said second portion of said coupling means 44 is designated generally by the reference numeral 49 and comprises the abovernentioned corresponding bifurcated yoke means removably engageabl-e within the receiving socket means 45 and fixedly carried at the bottom of the upwardly extending boom means 43.

It should be clearly noted that, in the exemplary form illustrated, said first portion 45 of said coupling means 44 is effectively carried by and positioned at an apex or top portion (indicated generally at 51) of said upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21, and said second portion 49 of said coupling means 44 is effectively carried at the bottom of said boom means. However, it should be clearly understood that this is exemplary only, and the invention is not specifically limited to this relationship. For example, said first and second portions 45 and 49 of the coupling means 44 may be positionally reversed if desired. Also, the structure of said coupling means 44 may be modified substantially within the broad spirit and scope of the teachings of the present invention, if desired.

The upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21 is provided with rotary boat-edge-engageable fulcrum means adapted to receive the inverted back edge or transom of a boat which is to be hoisted.

In the specific example illustrated, said boat-edgeengageable fulcrum means is indicated generally at 52 and is shown, for exempary purposes, as comprising a substantially L-shaped member including a lower substantially horizontally directed portion 53 and an upstanding portion comprising the previously mentioned upstanding member 48 which carries the receiving socket means 45 of the coupling means indicated generally at 44. Said fulcrum means 52 also includes an angularly directed upstanding contact plate 54 inclined at an angle such as to be adapted for effective supporting cooperation with the outer surface of the inverted top edge or transom 55 of a boat indicated generally at 56. This is best shown in FIG. 9. The upstanding angular contact plate 54- and the adjacent part of thelower portion 53 define a boatedge-receiving effective recess means including an acute angle therebetween. Said recess means is indicated generally at 57 in FIG. 9.

The fulcrum means 53, as mentioned above, is rotatively mounted with respect to the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21.

In the specific exemplary first form of the invention referred to above, this rotary mounting of the fulcrum means 52 with respect to the upstanding load-carrying at 58, as best shown in FIG. 10, which interconnects said fulcrum means 52 with respect to the platform member 23 rigidly carried at the upper end of the upstanding loadcarrying supporting structure means 21; said rotative interconnection being such as to provide for relative rotation of the fulcrum means 52 around a substantially vertical axis from a rearwardly directed position, as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 14, into a forwardly directed position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 14 and as shown in solid lines in FIG. 9.

Of course, it is to be understood that the inverted rear edge or transom 55 of the boat 56 is adapted to be received by said fulcrum means 52 when the boat 56 is in the inverted angular position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 14, after which the inverted front end of the boat 56 is adapted to be hoisted by the winch means (to be described hereinafter) into the rearwardly directed horizontal position shown fully in dot-dash lines in FIG. 14 and shown fragmentarily in FIG. 9, after which said rotative interconnection means 58 is effectively rotated in a manner such as to swing the rearwardly horizontally directed inverted boat 56, shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 14, into the forwardly horizontally directed inverted position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 14 where it directly overlies the boat-carrying rack, indicated generally at 59, carried by the top 61 of the automobile 25.

In the specific example illustrated, said rotative interconnection means 58 comprises an upstanding pin means (which is shown, for exemplary purposes, as being of tubular construction) indicated at 62 and which is fastened as indicated at 63 to the platform 23 carried at the top of the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21 in a centrally positioned vertically directed relationship.

The fulcrum means 52 is provided with a centrally positioned receiving bearing socket means, indicated generally at 64, adapted to slip over and receive said upstanding pin means 62 therein whereby to provide the effective rotative interconnection means 58 which effectively rotatively mounts said fulcrum means 52 for rotation about a vertical axis with respect to supporting base platform member 23 carried at the top of the upstanding supporting structure means 21.

The fulcrum means 52, in said first exemplary form of the invention referred toabove, is provided with controllably operable fastening clamp means, indicated generally at 65, forlocking and retaining engagement with respect to the inverted boat edge or transom 55 when the boat 56 is mounted in the forwardly directed inverted position overlying the motor vehicle top 61 as shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 14.

Said fastening clamp means 65 is clearly illustrated in side elevation in FIG. 9 and the fact that two such fastening clamp means 65 are included in said exemplary but non-specifically limiting first form of the invention mentioned hereinbefore is clearly evident in the perspective view comprising FIG. 1.

Also, said fastening clamp means 65 is positioned in spaced opposition to the angularly inclined upstanding contact plate 54 for controllable threaded advancement toward and away therefrom, by reason of its threaded mounting inthe upstanding member 66, for clamping and unclamping purposes with respect to the inverted boat edge or transom 55. However, it should be clearly understood that the invention is not specifically so limited to this number of fastening clamp means nor to the specific structure thereof illustrated for exemplary purposes.

The first exemplary form of the invention specifically referred to above is provided with winch or Windlass means and longitudinal winch cable means having an inner end effectively connected with respect to said winch 53 team, a longitudinal intermediate winch cable portion adapted to extend upwardly from said winch means and over the upwardly extending boom means and downwardly therefrom, and a remote connection end (usually having boat-engageable means) adapted to be controllably connected with respect to the boat 56 which is to be hoisted. I v In the specific example illustrated in connection with the above referred-to first exemplary form of the inven tion, said winch means is indicated generally at 67 and comprises a pair of spaced plates 68 interconnected'by a laterally directed plate 69 which is firmly and rigidly fastened, as indicated at 71, to one of the upwardly angularly inwardly inclined portionsof one of the'side structural members 22 of the upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21. This attachment, as indicated at 71, may comprise welding, or any other suitable attachment means.

In the specific example illustrated the winch means 67 includes rotary capstan means '72.; The capstan means 72 carries a toothed gear 73 positioned outwardly of one of the lateral support plates 68 and in engagement with a smaller toothed gear 74 which carries a keyed engaging means 75 in a centrally positioned location with respect to said gear 74 and adapted to controllably engage, in a relatively non-rotatable manner, a correspondingly keyed engaging means 76 carried by the end of a crank 77.

This provides an arrangement which makes it possible to quickly engage the keyed means 75 and 76 whenever the device is placed in mounted operative relationship so winch cable means is designated generally by'the refer-- encenumeral '73, has an inner end 79 connected with respect to the rotary capstan or drum means 72, and has an outer remote connection end 81 separated from the inner end 79 by a longitudinal intermediate winch cable portion 82 which is adapted to extend upwardly from the winch means 6''], partially around an idler pulley sheave 83, through the hollow upwardly extending'pin 62, through the hollow tubular upstanding boom means 43, and then out the top thereof over an otfset mounted pulley wheel means 84 and thence downwardly to-said remote connection end 81, which may be provided with boat-engageable means, such as indicated generally at 85, which may include a three-way coupling plate 8% and two connection cable portions 87 connected thereto at the-output side thereof and provided at their ends with boat-engage able coupling hooks 88, which are preferably provided with compressible protectiv'e'coating means such asrubbe'r, plastic or the like, although not specifically so limited.

'lhe above-mentioned coupling h'ooksSS are adapted, to engage the'inver'ted rear edge or transom 55' of the boat 56 when it is in the first inverted positionshown in solid lines in PEG. 14 or to engage a corresponding couplingmember 89 carried'by the rear wall 91 of th e boat 56.

that the winch 67 can be operated in a cableashortening carrying rack 59 to which it may be appropriately fastened.

In said first specific form of the invention referred to above, the winch means 67 is provided with effective locking means for locking itagainst rotation in any desired position into which it has been rotatively adjusted by manual cranking operation or rotation of the winchcrank '77.

In the exemplary form illustrated, said winch. locking means is indicated generally by the reference numeral 94 and comprises a gravity-biased locking pawl 95 which is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pivot pin 96 adjacent to one end thereof and which has a downwardly directed locking tooth 97 adjacent to the other end thereof adapted to normally be in gravity-biased. engagement with respect to the teeth of the gear 74 whereby to lock the twogears 74 and 73 against rotation thereof in a direction such as of the gear 74 until a new position thereof is attained,

after which the projection 98 may be released and'gravity will cause the tooth 97 to fall into engagement with the underlying toothed portion of the gear 74.

The winch locking means d4 comprises one exemplary form of apparatus operable for winch locking purposes. However, it'should he clearly noted that the-invention is not specifically so limited, but.rnay employvarious substantial equivalents thereto as desired.

In the first form of the invention referred to above, the main upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21 is additionally stabilized and provided with desired structural strength and rigidity in its mounting with respect to the body of the automobile 25 by the provision of. additional supporting strut means adapted-to" beremovably connected with respect to said upstanding loadcarrying supporting structure means 21 and also adapted to be removably connected with respect to structurally strong portions of the motor vehicle 25 somewhere in the region of the rear end thereof. j i

In said exemplary first formof the inventionreferred to hereinabove, there aretwo such supporting strut means, indicated generally at 99, and each comprising a. longitudinal structural member, such as the tubular inter mediate strut member-ltll'ada'pted to be connected at one end to a corresponding portion of a correspon'ding one of the side structural members 22 ofthe main upstanding load carryingsupportingstructure'rneans 21 by connection means indicated generally at 192. Said inter mediate strut member 161 is also adapted to beconnected at its other end-' to some'structurally strong portion 114 In the exemplary first form 'of the invention'referred to above, the connection means 162 comprises a bi After the rear end of the boat56; is lifted into the-next position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 14 with the inf verted rear edge or transom 55 resting upon, the fulcrum means 52, then said coupling books 88 may be removed from the initial engagement with respect to the boat 56 and may then be connected with respect to a forward portion thereof, as indicated at 92 in said dashed line showing of the boat 56 in FIG. 14. Then the front end 93 of the boat 56 maybe hoisted'into the'horizontal rear-" Wardly directed relationship shownin dot-dash lines in FIG. 14, and then may behorizontallyswung by means of the-rotative interconnection means 53 (best shown in FIG. 10) into the forwardly directed position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. '14, where it overlies the boatfurcated split yoke connected to one end of the strut member ltll" and adapted to receive therein aflat projecting tongue portion 1% .which is connected to thej'oorresponding side structural member 22 of the m'ain upstand in'g load-carrying structure meansZl. After such reception'of the tongue 106 within the bifurcated yoke means 1%, a. fasteningpin or bolt 1 li7is' placed in a retained position through-aligned apertures ills in'the' bifurcated yoke portion-105 and the aperturelw in the flat tongue portion 1% whereby to firmly fasten them together.

In the exemplaryffirst form of the invention referred to above, the" other connection means 194 is ofa construction similar ,to' the construction of the coniiection N2 described above and comprises a bifurcated split yoke portion 111 connectedto the other end of the strut member 191' and adapted to receive therein a flat projecting tongue portion 112 which is connected by connection bolt means 113 to the portion 114 at the left rear corner of the automobile top 61. After such reception of the tongue 112 within the bifurcated yoke means 111, a fastening pin or bolt 115 is placed in a retained position through aligned apertures 116 in the bifurcated yoke portion 111 and the aperture 117 in the flat tongue portion 112 whereby to firmly fasten them together.

The above is true for each of the two angularly positioned supporting strut means 99 in the first form of the invention referred to above and clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

The slightly modified form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 5-8 employs a slightly different type of supporting strut means, indicated generally at 99', and basically analogous to the supporting strut means shown at 99 in the first form of the invention in FIGS. 1 and 4.

However, in this modification only a single supporting strut means99 is employed and it is centrally positioned relative to the main upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means indicated at 21 and with respect to the automobile body indicated at 25 in FIG. 5.

This central positioning is achieved by having the connection means 132' effectively connect the strut member 101' at one end to a central portion of the base plate or platform member 23 rigidly carried at the top of the main upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21. This is accomplished by reason of the fact that the supporting plate or platform member 23 is integrally provided with the tongue 1416 in a centrally positioned forward and downwardly angularly directed manner.

In this modification, as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the connection means 104 at the other end of the strut member 101 effectively connects same with respect to a floor portion 114' within the trunk compartment 118 of the automobile 25'. It will be noted that immediately below saidfloor portion 114 a portion 119 of the automobile frame lies and is connected bythe fastening bolt 113 with respect to the tongue portion 112 comprising a portion of said connection means 104'. This provides a very firm and structurally strong supporting connection between the upper portion of the main upstanding loadcarrying structure means 21 and the floor portion 114 and the frame portion 119 of the automobile 25.

It should also be noted that, in this modification of the invention, each of the two fastening means 26 is directly connected to the frame portion 31' of the automobile 25' by the connector means 28 without intervening spacer means, such as shown at 29 in FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrating the first form of the invention. Such spacer means may or may not be included, depending upon the location of the corresponding frame portions 31 or 31' of the auto mobile. a V

T hetwo-types of supporting strut means shown in a first illustrative form in FIGS. 1 and 4 (also FIG. 14) and shown in a second illustrative form-in FIGS. 5 and'8 are exemplary only and are not intended to specifically limit the invention thereto. 'Actually, various other types of supporting strut means may .beemployed or, in certain cases where the connection of the structure 21 at the base is sufliciently strong, may. be eliminated entirely if desired. In one preferred form of the invention, the forward end of the inverted boat 56 may be provided with auxiliary Wheel means, indicated generally at 121, positioned for rolling engagement with a'substantially horizontal ground surface, as indicated at 122m FIG. 14, when the boat 56 is in an inverted pre-hoisted position .as shownin solid' lines in FIG. 14. This facilitates the winch-efiected initial lifting of the rear end ofthe boat 56 by engagement of the coupling hooks 88 withan engageable member .89

' carried by the rear wall ortransom 91 of the inverted boat 56 from the initial horizontal invertedv position shown in solid lines in FIG. 14 into the angularly inclined position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 14 where the inverted edge or transom 55 ofv the rear wall 91 of the inverted boat 55 is shown at the time that it is placed upon the fulcrum means 52 for subsequent hoisting into the horizontal rearwardly directed position shown in dot-dash lines in the right top portion of FIG. 14, and for subsequent rotation thereof by way of the rotary'interconnection means 58 into the forwardly directed horizontal inverted position where the boat 56 lies directly over the top 61 of the automobile body 25 for reception by, and fastening engagement with respect to, the boat-carrying car top rack 59.

It will be noted that the auxiliary wheel means 121 greatly facilitates this operation since it prevents the in verted forward end 93 of the boat from being forcibly dragged along the ground surface 122. Instead, it allows it to easily roll along said ground surface 122 by reason of the rollable engagement of said auxiliary wheel means 121 with said ground surface 122. Also, this makes it possible for the apparatus to begin the boat-hoisting operation even ifvthe inverted boat 56 is not in a position directly aligned with the automobile body 25 but is angularly directed with respect thereto or is slightly laterally displaced from an optimum position. The action of the winch cable means 73 and the auxiliary wheel means 121 will effectively compensate for all such initial displacements of the inverted boat 56 from an optimum position.

Also, the auxiliary wheel means 121 facilitates the handling of an inverted boat during an unloading operation and facilitates the handling of the inverted boat both prior to and after such boat loading and unloading operations, respectively. 7 In the specificexemplary form of the invention illustrated, the auxiliary wheel means indicated generally at 121 comprises a pair of laterally spaced wheels 123 carrying wheel hubs or bearings 124 and adapted to be slid ably moved into position in rotatively mounted relationship on corresponding laterally directed shaft means 125 and into abutment with positioning stop collar means 126 fixedly carried thereon and to there be retained by fastening nut means 127 fastened to the outer end of the corresponding shafts 125 outwardly of the corresponding wheels 123. This provides a rotary mounting of the wheels 123 with respect to the shafts 125 in a relatively simple, rugged structurally strong form.

The forward end 93 of the boat 56 is provided at the top thereof with a panel 128 which carries a mounting base means 129 fastened thereto by suitable threaded fastener means 131 so that it can be removed when desired.

Said mounting base means 129 comprises a flat metal plate rigidly carrying a pair of aligned laterally spaced laterally directed tubular receiving means 132 adapted to removably and rotatively receive the corresponding shaft means 125 so that the inner ends of said shafts 125 extend inwardly of the corresponding inner ends of said tubular receiving means 132 where apertures 133 therein may receive and hold retaining pin means 134 each of which may comprise an actual pin' or a threaded member.

The above provides a. convenient means for locking each of thewheel assemblies into. a structurally strong mounted relationship with respect to the forward top panel portion 128 of the forward end 93 of the boat 56 so that the wheels 123 will lie on each side of said forward top panel. portion 128 of the boat 56 in amanner such that, when the boat 56 is inverted into the position best shown in FIG. 14,,said wheels 123 will 'rollably' engage the ground surface 122 for the purposes describedin detail hereinabove; The auxiliary wheel means illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 is exemplary only and the invention is not specifically limited thereto, but may include various other substantially equivalent auxiliary wheel means.

FIG. 15 merely illustrates one of the plurality of novel fastening clamp means 135 of the car .top rack 59 which Such arrangements are well known in the art and, there- I fore, a detailed description and showing of the car top rack 59 and fastening clamp means 35 are not thought necessary or desirable since they do not comprise any part of the real inventive concept of the present invention.

In one preferred form of the invention the fulcrum means 52 may be locked in the forwardly directed position which it assumes after rotation of the rotative interconnection means 58 so as to move the'inverted horizontally positioned boat 56 from the rearwardly directed position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 14 into the forwardly directed position lying immediately over the car top 61 for lowering onto and fastening with respect to the car top boat-carrying rack 59. This may be accomplished in any of several ways, one exemplary form of which is best shown in FIG. 9 and comprises a retaining or locking pin 138 which is passed through the aligned apertures 139 in the base plate 53 of the fulcrum means 52 and the aperture 141 in the supporting plate or platform member 23 which is rigidly carried at the top of the main upstanding load-carrying supporting structure means 21. This will positively lock the fulcrum means 52 in said forwardly directed position until such time as the retaining or locking pin 138 is removed from said aligned apertures 139 and 141.

Said retaining pin 138 may comprise a smooth member having a transversely directed controllably removable cotter pin 142 or equivalent at its lower end when in the locked relationship shown in FIG. 9, or the retaining pin 138 may comprise a. threaded member adapted to beretained in locked'relationship by reason of the threaded engagement of said threaded means. Also, various other types of retaining or locking means may be employed in lieu thereof.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this application are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to i the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantially equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. Boat-hoisting apparatus for hoisting an inverted small boat into a superimposed supported position overlying the top of a motor vehicle, comprising: load-carrying supporting structure means provided with fastening means for fastening same with respect to a motor vehicle frame adjacent to a rear end of said motor vehicle with said load-carrying supporting structure means extending upwardly in a substantially vertical upright position immediately behind said rear end of said motor vehicle,

said load-carrying supporting structure means being provided at the top thereof with an upwardly extending boom means having pulley wheel means adjacent to the top thereof; and winch means carried by said load-carryingsupporting structure means and including rotary capstan drum means and longitudinal winch cable means having an inner end effectively connected with respect thereto, a longitudinal intermediate winch cable portion adapted to extend upwardly from said winch means and to pass over said pulley wheel means and downwardly therefrom, said longitudinal winch cable means also being provided with a remote connection end beyond said longitudinal intermediate winch cable portion adapted to be effectively connected with respect to a boat which is to be hoisted; said load-carrying supporting structuremeans being effectively-provided adjacent to the top there'- of with boat-edge-engageable fulcrum means cooperable to receive an inverted end edge of a boat which is to be I hoisted, said fulcrum means and said load-carrying sup porting structure meansbcing eifectively provided with rotative interconnection means eifectively interconnecting same for relative rotation of said fulcrum means around a substantially verticalaxis from a rearwardly directed position, in which it lies at the time that said inverted end edge of said boat is received by said fulcrum means, into a forwardly rotated position displaced by substantially 1.80 degrees from said rearwardly directed position after an opposite end of said inverted boat is hoisted into a substantially horizontal inverted position by said winch means, said winch cable means and said remote connection end thereof in engagement with respect toa selected portion of said'opposite end of said inverted boat, thus swinging the inverted hoisted horizontal boat in a substantially horizontal plane into a position immediately overlying said motor vehicle, said rotative interconnection means effectively comprising base platform means fixedly carried at the top of said load-carrying supporting structure means, upwardly extending pin means carried by said base platform means, and receiving bearingsocket means carried by said fulcrum means and rotatively receiving said pin means for effective rotative interconnection of said fulcrum means with respect to said sup porting base platform means of said load-carrying supporting structure means.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said remote connection end of said winch cable means is provided with boat-engageable means for eifective and controllably disengageable coupling engagement with respect to said inverted boat which is to be hoisted.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary capstan drum means is cooperable to receive in spirally wound stored form therearound a controllably lengthvariable part of said longitudinal intermediate winch cable portion as said winch means is rotated in a winch-cableshortening direction, and is adapted to controllably feed out the spirally Wound stored part of said longitudinal intermediate winch cable portion in response to oppositely directed winch-oable-lengthening rotation of said winch means. 7

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said winch means is provided with effective locking means for locking it in any desired position against winch-cable-lengthening rotation.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said fulcrum means is provided with controllably operable fastening means for fastening and retaining engagement with respect to saidinverted boat edge when said boat is mounted in said supported position overlying the top of the motor vehicle. Q

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including supporting strut means removably connected with respect to said load-carrying supporting structure means and removably portion and an angula'rly inclined upstanding portion effectively interconnected to define a boat-edge-receiving effective recess means therebetween, and fastening means for fastening and retaining engagement with respect to said inverted boat edge being positioned in spaced opposition to said angularly inclined upstanding portion of said fulcrum means for controllable movement toward and away therefrom for effective clamping and unclamping cooperation with respect to said inverted boat edge.

9. Apparatus. as defined in claim 1, wherein'said opposite end of said inverted boat is provided with auxiliary substantially horizontal ground surface when said boat is in an inverted pre-hoisted position, thus facilitating the winch-eifected initial lifting of said first-mentioned inverted end edge of the boat for engagement with said fulcrum means prior to the boat-hoisting operation and the horizontal pivotal swinging movement of the hoisted horizontal boat into said supported position overlying the top of the motor vehicle.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said opposite end of said inverted boat is provided with auxiliary wheel means positioned for rolling engagement with a substantially horizontal ground surface when said boat is in an inverted pre-hoisted position, thus facilitating the winch-effected initial lifting of said first-mentioned inverted end edge of the boat for engagement with said fulcrum means prior to the boat-hoisting operation and the horizontal pivotal swinging movement of the hoisted horizontal boat into said supported position overlying the top of the motor vehicle, said auxiliary wheel means comprising a pair of laterally spaced, substantially parallel wheels provided with, and rotatively carried by, laterally directed shaft means, mounting base means adapted to be fastened to said opposite end of said boat, laterally directed receiving means carried by said base means and removably receiving said shaft means, and retaining pin means removably engaged with the fully mounted shaft means for preventing removal thereof from said receiving means until removal of said retaining pin means.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including controllably engageable and disengageable coupling means effectively interconnecting the upper end of said loadcarrying supporting structure means and the lower end of said upwardly extending boom means whereby to provide for quick and easy assembly and disassembly thereof.

12'. Apparatus as defined in claim '11, wherein said controllably engageable and disengageable coupling means includes a first portion comprising a laterally spaced pair of receiving socket means and a second portion comprising a corresponding bifurcated yoke means removably engageable within said receiving socket means, one of said first and second portions of said coupling means being effectively carried by and positioned adjacent to an apex top portion of said load-carrying supporting structure means and the other of said first and second portions of said coupling means being effectively carried at the bottom of said boom means.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said controllably engageable and disengageable coupling means includes a first portion comprising a laterally spaced pair of receiving socket means and a second portion comprising a corresponding bifurcated yoke means removably engageable within said receiving socket means, said first portion of said coupling means being effectively carried by and positioned adjacent to an apex top portion of said load-carrying supporting structure means, and said second portion of said coupling means being effectively carried at the bottom of said boom means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,722,326 Conroy Nov. 1, 1955 2,885,102 Duncan May 5, 1959 3,044,643 Shaw July 17, 1962 3,045,849 Tweten July 24, 1962 

1. BOAT-HOISTING APPARATUS FOR HOISTING AN INVERTED SMALL BOAT INTO A SUPERIMPOSED SUPPORTED POSITION OVERLYING THE TOP OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, COMPRISING: LOAD-CARRYING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE MEANS PROVIDED WITH FASTENING MEANS FOR FASTENING SAME WITH RESPECT TO A MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME ADJACENT TO A REAR END OF SAID MOTOR VEHICLE WITH SAID LOAD-CARRYING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL UPRIGHT POSITION IMMEDIATELY BEHIND SAID REAR END OF SAID MOTOR VEHICLE, SAID LOAD-CARRYING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE MEANS BEING PROVIDED AT THE TOP THEREOF WITH AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING BOOM MEANS HAVING PULLEY WHEEL MEANS ADJACENT TO THE TOP THEREOF; AND WINCH MEANS CARRIED BY SAID LOAD-CARRYING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE MEANS AND INCLUDING ROTARY CAPSTAN DRUM MEANS AND LONGITUDINAL WINCH CABLE MEANS HAVING AN INNER END EFFECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH RESPECT THERETO, A LONGITUDINAL INTERMEDIATE WINCH CABLE PORTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND UPWARDLY FROM SAID WINCH MEANS AND TO PASS OVER SAID PULLEY WHEEL MEANS AND DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID LONGITUDINAL WINCH CABLE MEANS ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH A REMOTE CONNECTION END BEYOND SAID LONGITUDINAL INTERMEDIATE WINCH CABLE PORTION ADAPTED TO BE EFFECTIVELY CONNECTED WITH RESPECT TO A BOAT WHICH IS TO BE HOISTED; SAID LOAD-CARRYING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE MEANS BEING EFFECTIVELY PROVIDED ADJACENT TO THE TOP THEREOF WITH BOAT-EDGE-ENGAGEABLE FULCRUM MEANS COOPERABLE TO RECEIVE AN INVERTED END EDGE OF A BOAT WHICH IS TO BE HOISTED, SAID FULCRUM MEANS AND SAID LOAD-CARRYING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE MEANS BEING EFFECTIVELY PROVIDED WITH ROTATIVE INTERCONNECTION MEANS EFFECTIVELY INTERCONNECTING SAME FOR RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID FULCRUM MEANS AROUND A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS FROM A REARWARDLY DIRECTED POSITION, IN WHICH IT LIES AT THE TIME THAT SAID INVERTED END EDGE OF SAID BOAT IS RECEIVED BY SAID FULCRUM MEANS, INTO A FORWARDLY ROTATED POSITION DISPLACED BY SUBSTANTIALLY 180 DEGREES FROM SAID REARWARDLY DIRECTED POSITION AFTER AN OPPOSITE END OF SAID INVERTED BOAT IS HOISTED INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL INVERTED POSITION BY SAID WINCH MEANS, SAID WINCH CABLE MEANS AND SAID REMOTE CONNECTION END THEREOF IN ENGAGEMENT WITH RESPECT TO A SELECTED PORTION OF SAID OPPOSITE END OF SAID INVERTED BOAT, THUS SWINGING THE INVERTED HOISTED HORIZONTAL BOAT IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE INTO A POSITION IMMEDIATELY OVERLYING SAID MOTOR VEHICLE, SAID ROTATIVE INTERCONNECTION MEANS EFFECTIVELY COMPRISING BASE PLATFORM MEANS FIXEDLY CARRIED AT THE TOP OF SAID LOAD-CARRYING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE MEANS, UPWARDLY EXTENDING PIN MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BASE PLATFORM MEANS, AND RECEIVING BEARING SOCKET MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FULCRUM MEANS AND ROTATIVELY RECEIVING SAID PIN MEANS FOR EFFECTIVE ROTATIVE INTERCONNECTION OF SAID FULCRUM MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORTING BASE PLATFORM MEANS OF SAID LOAD-CARRYING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE MEANS. 